I made my way to the training area that had been set aside for myself and the other higher rank officers so that we could all keep in shape and practice. It was almost thirty minutes before I expected the three women in my squad to appear, so that would give me plenty of time to set up all the equipment that we would use, mostly that was the protective gear and training weapons for the sparring matches, any weights or other equipment were kept on the training floor.

"You're certain about what you've found?" I asked Cai.

"I am. It is quite troubling, but her Cyber confirmed it as well," he answered. "Is there anything that you wish to do about this?"

"There's a lot I want to do, but I can't do any of them without alienating Carrie," I told him. "I left the decision up to her and she dragged Sarah with her; if I make a huge fuss about this, then she'll think I don't trust her at all, from there I'm afraid that she'll start to make more and more decisions behind my back and causing more problems. Best to face this one head on and accept it while making sure she knows how displeased I am."

"Touka hypothesized that you would say that," Cai said.

"I'm glad that you have a friend like Touka, but could you two not discuss these kinds of things without Carrie or I knowing the nature of the conversations?" I asked. Cai and the other Cybers were turning into huge gossips and constantly trading different rumors, theories, and even picture evidence. I was afraid it would turn into a much bigger problem.

"Horseman Applewood was adamant that you be informed of this matter, even if you did not ask me to investigate," my Cyber said. "Touka informed me as soon as the Phoenix's Wings was in communications range. I did not tell you immediately because you were more worried about important matters. Was that the wrong choice?"

"Not exactly," I told Cai with a sigh. "You should have told me that you had something important to tell me and I'd have made time for it. This is something that can get people killed; the people involved the most."

"Then with that in mind; Rickshaw, I have something important to tell you," Cai said.

"Of course," I sighed again. "Out with it."

"Horseman Applewood is behind you and she wishes to speak to you," he told me. "Touka and I have been talking about this same topic for the last two minutes."

My Cyber was going to make me throw something one day, but I needed to make sure it wasn't today. Not today.

I turned to see Carrie making her way toward me at a brisk walk and her expression wasn't a happy one.

"What's up, Carrie?" I asked her as she came closer.

"Did Cai tell you what I asked Touka to pass on?" she asked.

"He did," I answered. "After I asked him to look into it for my own curiousity, but he did eventually."

"That means that we were on the planet," she moaned as if in pain. "Dammit. I was hoping that you'd talk some sense into Sarah because of it, she listens to you better than she does me when you approach her as Rickshaw instead of as the Demigod."

"That's probably because she thinks that I'm sleeping with her sister and she hopes that one day you'll stop trying to run her life like a parent," I told her.

"I've told her there's nothing going on between us," Carrie sighed. "Guess she didn't listen, and I don't try to run her life like I'm her parent."

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"Guess not," I agreed not saying anything about the second thing. "What exactly did she do this time? Touka, and thus Cai, was a little light on the details."

"She made the decision," Carrie said. "I told her that I would listen to her suggestions and that I had final say, but she made the last choice on this and now it's all some sort of fiasco."

"Yea," I agreed. "I've got an idea and I need you to help me make it work then. I don't like it, but it's the best option I see."

"What am I doing?" she asked.

"We're here!" Sarah called out as she stepped into the room with Erica at exactly six in the morning.

"Hey," I greeted them while wheeling the weapons rack out toward the sparring zone in the empty gym. "I thought to make things easier on us all we'd pair off with one another for some of this stuff. Erica, why don't you and Carrie make your way to the track? Carrie's always telling me that a run's the best way to warm up, but I prefer a sparring session first; can't limber up for every fight in the field, you know."

"Oh, okay, yes sir," Erica said before moving to where Carrie was stretching before she started to go around the track.

"Guess that means I'm with you," Sarah said walking over to me. "Anything goes or are we using certain weapons for this?"

"We'll be using words," I told her, my face falling into a frown as I turned to look directly at her while Carrie led Erica onto the track and they began to follow the winding route of the longest run.

"So I take it then, that you know about Bunny?" Sarah asked, her eyes betraying the slight fear she kept from her voice.

"Of course I know," I said, my voice hardening in anger. "What were you thinking? I told you and Carrie that if you chose someone, they'd better be a new Knight or a Cadet that would graduate before you left the Phoenix's Wings; not a first year Cadet who'd barely been given the serum treatment!"

"But," Sarah tried to defend herself.

"No!" I snapped. "You don't speak until I am done with this. Am I clear?"

I stared at her for a long moment before she nodded her understanding and I continued.

"If the choice to bring on a new Cadet wasn't bad enough, you also went around your superior officer and the superior officer that the both of you answer to. You didn't tell your sister until half-way through your trip back and then you didn't give her a choice to deny it. I am not disappointed about this, Sarah. I am furious. This is the sort of thing that gets people killed and is exactly the kind of thing that I work to avoid. Think for one damn minute! What happens if you go out into the field with her and she panics? What happens if she's with Carrie and that happens against a pack of Hellhounds? A school of Kamaitachi? What about a goddamned Guardian? What if she panics in that situation and she gets herself or someone else killed?"

I took a breath and gave a moment for my question to really sink into her before I continued.

"What if she gets Carrie killed because she wasn't trained? I expected a Knight, someone who's gone through all the training the academies give and has been prepared for high-pressure situations like combat. Not a Cadet who barely knew how her body worked. I'd have sent her into combat and she'd have made mistakes, gotten hurt, been killed, or worse, let it happen to other people! This wasn't just a poor choice Sarah, this was the worst one I've ever seen you make! You're a damned Principality for crying out loud! You know what happens if people who aren't ready for combat are thrown into it without a warning! What if she'd had that warning and said nothing? Then we could blame her? No. This is something that you are responsible for and I am holding you accountable for that. As of now you are demoted to Paladin and your little Bunny is Carrie's pet project for the forseeable future. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," she said as tears welled in her eyes. "I do."

"Dismissed," I said before walking through the doors and leaving the training area.

Once the door had shut behind me, I came to a stop and leaned my head against the wall. I hated this entire situation. A Cadet who had recieved almost no training was now on one of the safest planets in a very unsafe galaxy and I was responsible for the situation that brought her here. I'd allowed Carrie to choose a new person to add to my personal squad, so that if we needed to seperate in the field, we could do so in pairs rather than leaving someone alone; she'd asked to take Sarah with her to make that choice and now we were here working to correct that mistake.

"Cai tell me there's nothing that needs me right now," I said. "I just want to take a minute and maybe go get some ice cream. I hate what just happened."

"There is nothing that requires you, Rickshaw," he told me. "Shall I tell Touka that you've gone for ice cream in case Horseman Applewood needs you?"

"Please," I said before pushing myself off the wall and making my to the closest cafeteria. "What kind do you think I should get?"

"Perhaps mint chocolate chip?" he suggested. "That one always makes you feel better."